"MS Project 2007" on SharePoint

[Dgordon56]

I would like to run a single project using MS Project 2007 (not Project
Server) loaded to a SharePoint Team site and share project updates/edits
among 6 team members. Does this require a checkout/checkin process? Are
there any know issues with this type of configuration? Anything we should be
aware of or prepare for? Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim Aksel]

If you post the file to SharePoint as a document, you may enforce
check-out/in policies. Basically you can add it to list.

If you wish more details, our peer SharePoint Gurus are available in their
own news groups.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

From a scheduler perspective, the issue here is that you have to trust the 6
team members not to mess up your schedule. I've never seen that level of
trust in any team or organization.

There're a number of lightweight tools - which still are probably overkill
for what you're trying to do. EPMLive and Journyx are a couple of them.

You might also want to explore some of the hosted project scheduling
options. That may be a better option for you than sharing a MS Project plan.
I haven't played with any of those, but am sure there're plenty out there
that are easy to use.

 

[rmschne]

I would like to run a single project using MS Project 2007 (not Project
Server) loaded to a SharePoint Team site and share project updates/edits
among 6 team members.  Does this require a checkout/checkin process?  Are
there any know issues with this type of configuration?  Anything we should be
aware of or prepare for?  Thanks in advance.

I think the combination of Project with SharePoint (WSS) is a killer
application--using each for its own purpose. Use each for what they
are designed for.

SP for project deliverable documents that you work on as a team ...
checking out, in, updating, publishing, etc.
SP for letting the management and stakeholders "peek" in on status
information
SP for helping manage project processes (issues, risks, changes, etc.)
SP for ...

Project for computing a schedule
Project for statusing the progress
Project for preparing input to progress reports
Project ...

By all means store the Project files in SharePoint document library
for version control. Nothing better than to be able to easily get
back a prior version of a MPP file when you need to fix and "oops".

However ... Project

: to work on the Project files, check them out in SP, but then
download them to a local folder.
: If you use master and subprojects, project cannot directly "link" to
files which are specified as http:// file location. No matter.
Download everything to a local folder, e.g. c:\mpp\Project1\ and work
out of there. Link and edit on the local files. Put the files back up
in SP after changes and check in.
: don't let people on the project team with direct access to the
Project files. Keep that responsibility with one or at most two
people. If you must have everyone accessing the MPP files, then
ensure they are as expert as the person who has responsibility for the
MPP files. These should be considered "source" code.
: there are some inexpensive 3rd party tools available which provide
some automation between MPP files and SP to allow the team to interact
with SP representations of the Project plan in SP lists and handle the
syncing between the MPP files and those SP lists.

--rms

www.rmschneider.com